President Bush: The surge in Iraq worked

It wasn't as pointed as his infamous "Mission Accomplished" speech of May 1, 2003, when he declared "one victory" in the war on terrorism and an end to major combat operations in Iraq.

But in a statement on the Iraq War this morning from the White House, President Bush said the "surge" of U.S. troops into Iraq last year that so divided U.S. public opinion and still flavors the presidential race has ended in success. Cautioning that "progress is still reversible," the president, now coached not to over-hype military successes, quoted Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker as saying that there now appeared to be "a degree of durability" in the gains made on the ground.

In a statement from the White House Colonnade, Bush said:

The progress in Iraq has allowed us to continue our policy of "return on success." We now have brought home all five of the combat brigades and the three Marine units that were sent to Iraq as part of the surge. The last of these surge brigades returned home this month.

As part of the "return on success" policy, we are also reducing the length of combat tours in Iraq. Beginning tomorrow, troops deploying to Iraq will serve 12-month tours instead of 15-month tours. This will ease the burden on our forces -- and it will make life easier for our wonderful military families. 

Bush was also careful to credit the success in part to the "increasing capability of the Iraqi forces," with 192 combat battalions -- many, he said, leading combat operations against terrorists.

The White House had hoped to announce a strategic framework agreement with Iraq today. The United Nations mandate that now allows the U.S. to be in Iraq expires Dec. 31, and the Maliki government has lately toughened its demands. So, instead, Bush cited "a month of encouraging news from Iraq."

"Violence is down to its lowest level since the spring of 2004," he said, "and we're now in our third consecutive month with reduced violence levels holding steady."

And, returning to a familiar caution, Bush warned that "we remain a nation at war. Al Qaeda is on the run in Iraq -- but the terrorists remain dangerous, and they are determined to strike our country and our allies again."

-- Johanna Neuman

Photo: Ron Edmonds / Associated Press

Comments

[Larry Burns]

Congrats to the U.S. military and the President. It was a long, and sometimes brutal war but it appears we are nearing total victory in Iraq.

Here's wishing the best for the people of Iraq.

[Adrienne]

The situation in Iraq is not a simple one and just because a momentary decrease in violence followed the surge doesn't mean that the surge caused the decrease in violence.

http://www.d-n-i.net/dni/2008/07/29/on-war-269-why-mccain-is-wrong/#more-225

[SoCalSailor]

President Bush says the surge worked? That settles it then!

[steve]

Just like when he stood on the aircraft carried and declared we won.

[David Hulbert]

It seems to me that Bust declared the war over and done two weeks after he started it, five years ago. A trillion desperately needed American dollars later, 4000 + American dead, hundreds of thousands of Iraq dead, more and unified terrorist, and desasterous international relations we still seem to be there with no end in sight.

[Josh Geller]

The most important decisions a President can make have to do with wartime strategy: wrong decisions in this realm result in the deaths of American soldiers and directly affect the security of America and her citizens. John McCain knew what the right thing to do was in Iraq, and was pushing for it before anybody else, including George Bush. He was pushing to do the right thing in Iraq when it looked as if doing so was going to destroy his chances of being President, knew it and didn't care. For this alone he deserves to be President.

.

[Dan Givens]

So now (according to Chimpy McFlightsuit) we are withdrawing our troops based on a "time horizon" with Iraqi troops taking over the job.

Nothing like the careful withdrawal tasking the Iraqi troops to take over their own country like the plan Barack Obama has suggested over the next 18 months; that traitorous surrender-type guy!

[Trooper72]

I agree with you Larry Burns, I admire the American people's stoicism for sticking to their guns in Iraq, and the President's resolute attitude not to succumb to worldwide opinion.

However, I disagree with David Hulbert, the enemy is more fractured then ever, and they ARE on the run. I respect your opinion, but it does disgust me when people don't take their Democratically oriented (and elected) Head of Government's word in these sort of situations.

As much as I disagree with how the war in Iraq started, I support it for the sake of Global freedom from terror, and when victory arises, the strength of the free world will never be contested. The people have to stay strong.

[Fernando F]

Is George Bush moving to Iraq when he is no longer President? to be with all those brave soldiers he sent there? I think it should be mandatory that the President, once he is no longer in power, has to live with the soldiers. If the war is justified, and he loves his brave soldiers, he should want to be with them. And if he doesn't, it should be mandatory. Maybe next time a President will think hard and long about starting wars that they can't finish.

[HotguyG]

Wow Ms. Neuman! You posted something about the President without mentioning anythying like his inability to speak or tell the truth. I like the way you mentioned the "infamous" Mission Accomplished Speech. Only the left wing media thought that speech was hype. We did wipe out the Iraqi Army and capture Bagdhad in record time with 1/20th the casualties anticipated by the propaganda machine. Look in a history book. There are hundreds of leaders who wished they could have given a speech like that to their military. Keep the propaganda coming. You are over due for an article on the economic recession.

[dennis]

Someday, all of the last 8 years will be condensed into a slick 90 minute movie, just like WWI, WWII and so forth. All the gossipers (media mavens) will have their say. War/conflict is not tidy until long afterward. Bush took the hard decision as was his duty. We are winning and the world will be better for it --- but no one can pick the day when it is all over. Just as after WWII when the world was prostrate before American might, we will repeat history and help the world rebuild.

[dennis]

Someday, all of the last 8 years will be condensed into a slick 90 minute movie, just like WWI, WWII and so forth. All the gossipers (media mavens) will have their say. War/conflict is not tidy until long afterward. Bush took the hard decision as was his duty. We are winning and the world will be better for it --- but no one can pick the day when it is all over. Just as after WWII when the world was prostrate before American might, we will repeat history and help the world rebuild.

[John Hallowell]

A victory like this must really infuriate the Bush-haters; Iraq is on its way to becoming a peaceful and prosperous democracy, and support for Osama is at an all-time low in the Muslim world. A full-blown depression is the left-wingers' only hope, and second-quarter reports show that we're not even in a real recession yet. Come on, journalists, there must be SOME bad news to trumpet!